Mountain Project: Climbing Canada

Canada's westernmost province is very fortunate to have some of the mildest climates in the country combined with some of the best rock and mountains around. Marquee areas like Squamish, Skaha and the Bugaboos are only the tip of the iceberg.

Getting There

Vancouver is easily accessed by air from anywhere and is about three or four hours drive from Seattle. Vancouver puts you within two hours drive of vast amounts of climbing, centered on but not limited to Squamish.

Penticton, in the interior, is about a five hour drive from Vancouver and can be accessed by air either directly or by flying to nearby Kelowna. Skaha is main destination here, but there are other quality locations in the area.

The coastal range is accessed, with difficulty from Vancouver, or by boat or plane.

Vancouver Island, which is home to some good climbing, fine mountaineering, and great trails (like the West Coast Trail) can be reached by ferry from Vancouver, or by flying to the Victoria International Airport.

The more recently developed areas on the Sunshine Coast such as the Eldred Valley are accessed by ferry from Vancouver. There appears to be a lot of potential in this area for huge first ascents.

For the Rockies, which are closer to the border with Alberta, access for out-of-towners is often via Calgary, although the drive can be done from from Vancouver in seven to ten hours depending on your destination.

The Classics

Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for British Columbia:

West Ridge 5.4 Trad, Alpine, 1500 feet, Grade IV The Bugaboos : Pigeon Spire

Kain Route (South Ridge) 5.6 Trad, Alpine, 4 pitches, 1500 feet, Grade III The Bugaboos : Bugaboo Spire

North East Ridge 5.7 Trad, Alpine, 10 pitches, 1500 feet, Grade IV The Bugaboos : Bugaboo Spire

Diedre 5.8 Trad, 6 pitches, Grade II The Chief : The Apron

Northeast Buttress 5.9 Trad, Alpine, 25 pitches, Grade V Mt. Slesse

Penny Lane 5.9 Trad, 1 pitch, 100 feet The Smoke Bluffs : Penny Lane

St. Vitus' Dance 5.9 Trad, 4 pitches, 600 feet The Chief : The Apron

Flying Circus 5.10a Trad, 1 pitch, 100 feet The Smoke Bluffs : Neat and Cool

McTech Arete 5.10- Trad, Alpine, 6 pitches, 500 feet, Grade III The Bugaboos : Crescent Spire

Apron Strings 5.10b Trad, 2 pitches, 300 feet The Chief : Grand Wall Base Area

Seasoned in the Sun 5.10b Trad, 1 pitch, 95 feet The Chief : Grand Wall Base Area

Beckey-Chouinard 5.10 Trad, Alpine, 15 pitches, 2000 feet, Grade IV Howser Towers : South Howser Tower

Exasperator 5.10c Trad, 2 pitches, 150 feet The Chief : Grand Wall Base Area

Sunblessed 5.10c PG13 Trad, 3 pitches, 300 feet The Chief : The Solarium

Cruel Shoes 5.10d Trad, 6 pitches, 600 feet The Chief : Grand Wall Area

The Grand Wall 5.11a A0 Trad, Aid, 9 pitches, 1000 feet, Grade III The Chief : Grand Wall Area

Sunshine Crack 5.11- Trad, Alpine, 11 pitches, 900 feet, Grade IV The Bugaboos : Snowpatch Spire

Freeway 5.11c Trad, 11 pitches The Chief : The Dihedrals

Crime Of The Century 5.11c Trad, 1 pitch, 40 feet The Smoke Bluffs : Penny Lane

Sentry Box 5.12a Trad, 1 pitch, 110 feet Murrin Park : Nightmare Rock

Featured Route For British Columbia

Neat and Cool 5.10a PG13 International : Canada : ... : Neat and Cool

This route climbs the steepest section of the Neat and Cool crag and is named for the now barely readable graffiti at its base.The steepness of the route, the slippery start and fiddly initial protection makes this route a stiff lead for the grade. It initially diagonals up and left on a finger rail, then traverses back to the right on big holds. At the end of this traverse an underclinging jamming crux leads to a fine but all too short hand cr...[more] Browse More Classics in International

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British Columbia

Description

Getting There

The Classics